Theory overkill? We're force-fitting 'post-apocalyptic' games into hauntology, trauma theory, and more. But are we revealing anything Steam tags don't? This academic reach feels like intellectual cosplay. Are we analyzing games or just playing dress-up with fancy jargon? #ConferenceConfusion#frog24
Elden Ring's past echoes, but is hauntology any good lens? Many games have lingering histories. What unique insights does this offer? Let's ensure our theories enhance, not intellectually obscure, appreciation of and thinking about the game. #gamestudiescriticism#frog24
Hauntology and #eldenring#frog24#gamestudies 1/
1/3 Connecting Bacon to Scorn, Beksinski to Still Wakes The Deep - are we just playing academic join-the-dots? As someone guilty of this, I wonder: beyond "ooh, neat reference," what insights do these comparisons yield about games processing modern anxieties? #gamestudies#frog24
Lastly, considering the game's post-apocalyptic setting, how might this persistent 'cult-busting' narrative undermine the very idea of societal reconstruction? Are we not, paradoxically, advocating for a kind of social stasis in a world that desperately needs reimagining? #frog24#gamestudies 5/5
Furthermore, by framing cults as either 'good,' 'bad,' or 'neutral,' aren't we simplifying complex social dynamics into easily consumable narratives? How might this reductionist approach limit our ability to engage with real-world social movements or alternative communities? #gamestudies#frog24 4/